House letter-box.



No. 861,290. PATBNTED JULY 30, 1907.

' v, c. KOONS.

HOUSE LETTER BOX.

APPLICATION FILED JUNBZZ, 1906.

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WW I I A wi hi amen No. 861,290. a PATENTED JULY so, 1907. v. 0. KOON-S.

HOUSE LETTER 'BOX.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22,1906.

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VIRGIL O. KOONS, OF COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO.

HOUSE LETTER-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 30, 1907.

Application filed June 22, 1906. fierial No- 322,920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VIRGIL O. KooNs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Colorado Springs, county of El Paso, State of Colorado, haveinvented certain "new and useful Improvements in House Letter-Boxes;

and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in mail boxes, and moreparticularly relates to improvements in house letter boxes; and theobjects and nature of my invention will be readily understood by thoseskilled in the art in the light of the following explanation of theconstructions shown in the accompanying drawings as examples from amongother arrangements within the spirit and scope of my invention.

An object of my invention is the production of a simple and yetexceedingly efficient house letter box provided with improved means,whereby the box can be opened from within the house to the exterior ofwhich the box is attached.

A further object of the invention is to provide a house letter box withsimple, efficient and improved means operative from the interior of thehouse for opening the box at the exterior of the house, for removal ofmail, and also whereby said means can be operated to open the box, by akey or the like inserted and operative at the exterior of the box andhouse.

A further object of the invention is to provide a house letter boxadapted for location at the exterior of a house and having meansoperative from within the house for opening the box, with improvedindicating mechanism within the house and adapted to be operated by theact of opening the box for the insertion of mail, and to be restored tonormal position by the means for unlocking the box for removal of mail.

A further object of the invention is to provide certain improvements inarrangements of parts, details and combinations of elements, whereby ahighly eflicient and advantageous house letter box will be produced,which will be comparatively simple and durable in construction andcapable of economical manufacture.

The invention consists in certain novel features in construction, or incombinations and arrangements of parts and elements as more fully andparticularly set forth hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings'.Figure 1, is a perspective viewof a letter box, in accordance with my invention, attached to theexterior of a house, dotted lines indicating certain parts within thehouse and box. Fig. 2, is a detail perspective view of the latch or lockand its operating device. Fig. 3, is a detail perspective showingseparated parts of the indicator and of the push device for tripping-orreleasing the indicator drop or slide. Fig. 4, is a vertical sectionalview of the letter box and indicator, applied to the wall of a house.Fig. 5, is a detail perspective of the indicator. Fig. 6, is a detailperspective of the front inner corner of the mail box, showing the freeedge portion of the front door and the locking mechanism. Fig. '7, is adetail perspective of a portion of the inside front of a box, showing amodification. Fig. 8, is a detail sectional view of a portion of theindicator, showing a modification.

The letter box of my invention is adapted to be fixedly secured, in anysuitable manner to the exterior of v a wall or door of a house or otherbuilding so that the letter carrier can deposit the mail therein throughany suitable slot or ingress opening. The box has an opening at anysuitable point, through which the mail can be removed at the exterior ofthe house. This opening is provided with a suitable closure, such as adoor, and any suitable lock mechanism is provided for securely lockingsaid door in closed position. Lock operating means are provided, wherebysaid lock can be actuated from the interior of the house, to release thedoor and permit opening thereof, so that an authorized person within thehouse can open the letter box, and can then proceed to the exterior ofthe house and remove the mail from the box and close the door which willbe thereby automatically locked. If so desired, indi-' cating means canbe employed, arranged within the house, operated by the act of raisingthe flap or lid to permit insertion of mail into the box, or by othermeans to indicate within the house when mail has been deposited in thebox. This indicator can be restored to its normal position by the actionof the lock releasing means when unlocking the letter box door.

In the drawings, 1, indicates the portion of a house wall shown, or adoor to the exterior of which the letter box is firmly and rigidlysecured. The letter box 2, can be of any suitable and approved ordesirable shape or type and composed of any suitable material ormaterials. As at present advised by experience, I prefer to employ a boxconstructed of sheet steel or other suitable metal, approximately oblongin shape, with a top letter ingress opening or slot 3, normally closedby an exterior upwardly and rearwardly swinging lid or flap 4. The flatclosed rear wall of the box fits the outer surface of the door or wall1, and is firmly and rigidly secured thereto by any desirable means orin any suitable manner. In the specific example illustrated, I show theopening forremoval of mail, formed in the lower portion of the frontwall of the box, although I do not wish to so limit my invention. In theconstruction of Fig. 1, I show the exterior outwardly opening door 5,for closing said opening. This door closes against the outer face ofsaid box front wall around the opening and is hinged at one verticaledge to the box wall at one vertical edge of the opening so that thedoor swings on a vertical axis, and a suitable spring 6, or othersuitable device is preferably employed to constantly tend to open thedoor. In other words, I preferably employ a door, whatever itsconstruction or location relative to the box, which constantly tendsprotect the same and serve as a guard to prevent moisture running downonto the dooror between the same and the box front.

In Fig. 7, I show a box provided with a front opening, closed by a dropdoor 9, hinged along its lower horizontal edge to swing outwardly anddown in opening by gravity or by spring pressure. In the specificexample illustrated, the locking mechanism'comprises a swinging radialarm or latch 10 at its free end having a looking or latch projection orlug 11, adapted to extend into the keeper 7, to lock the door in closedposition. This radial arm 10, is rigid with the front end of a shaft,sleeve or barrel 12, and projects laterally therefrom. The shaft 12extends horizontally through the letter box from rear to front, andadjacent a side wall thereof. The rear end of said shaft preferablyprojects into a hole or perforation in the rear wall of the box, forminga bearing for the rear end of the shaft, which usually projectsrearwardly therefrom and into a hole or perforation in the wall 1. Theshaft is preferably formed with a rigid collar or annular shoulder 13,within the box and at the front face of the rear wall thereof, to limitrearward longitudinal movement of said shaft. At its front, said shaftis journaled in and passes through a perforation in the lock casing orbox 14, secured to the rear face of the portion of the front wall of thebox over which the free end of the door overlaps when closed. The box orcasing 14 is usually secured against the front wall and in the anglebetween the front and adjacent side wall. The locking or latch arm 10,is arranged at the rear face of the front wall and within said casing,depending from the 'shaftend. Within said casing, the shaft ispreferably also provided with a lateral arm 15, through the medium ofwhich a spring acts on the shaft to yieldingly hold the shaft and itslocking arm in nor mal locking position. For instance, I show spring 16,coiled on the portion of shaft within the casing and having one endattached to arm 15, and the other end bearing against the wall of thecasing so that the spring is maintained under tension and exerting itstension on the shaft, preferably yieldingly holding the same with thedepending latch arm 10, swung toward the box side wall with the lockingprojection or lug 11 held against the inner face of the side Wall (whichforms a stop, or any other suitable stop can be provided) and projectingacross a slot 17 in the box front. Thekeeper 7, of the door can projectinwardly beyond the free vertical edge of the door which closes againstthe outer face of the box front wall, and when the door is closed thekeeper 7, projects inwardly through slot 17, and into the casing. Thedoor is locked by the bolt or latch 11, projecting through the keeper.The'front face of bolt 11, is beveled seams toward the free edgethereof, so that said beveled face is behind slot 17 hence when the dooris pressed or forced to closed position, the end edge of the keeperengaging said beveled surface, will force the bolt to one side, rockingthe shaft against the spring tension, and permitting the keeper to passthrough the slot and into the casing, whereupon the bolt will slipthrough the keeper and lock the door, as the spring returns the shaft tonormal position. The front end of the shaft 12, is usually arrangedclose to the rear face of the front wall of the letter box, and if sodesired, I can form a slot, recess or key receiving seat 18, in saidfront end, immediately in rear of and in line with a key hole 19,through the front wall of the letter box; The letter box door can hencebe released or unlocked by rocking or turning the shaft 12, in theproper direction to withdraw the bolt, by a suitable or special separatekey inserted from the front of the box through said key hole and intothe shaft end. I do not however, wish to limit all features of myinvention, to means whereby the door can be unlocked from the front orexterior of the house by a separate or special key.

I provide means for operating the lock to withdraw the bolt and releasethe door, manually operative from a convenient or accessible pointwithin the house or at the inner face of the door or wall. For thispurpose, I usually employ a longitudinally adjustable or extensibleshaft comprising the barrel or shaft 12, hereinbefore described andmounted in and extending through the box and formed hollow with a rearopen end, and the shaft section 20, passing loosely and horizontallythrough a hole formed transversely through the wall or door 1. At itsinner end within the house, this shaft section 20 is provided with ahandle such as a head or button 21, whereby the shaft can be easilyturned. The section 20 slides longitudinally into the hollow shaft orbarrel 12, and is coupled or locked to turn therewith, by any suitablemeans such as set screw 22, accessible within the letter box. The twoshaft sections 12, 20, in effect form a longitudinally extensible shaftwhich can be increased or decreased in length to suit conditions oraccording to the thickness of each particular wall or door where theboxes are being installed.

The door can be released, by a slight turn of the knob or handle 21,within the house, thereby rocking the shaft to throw the arm 10 towardthe door and away from the box side wall hence withdrawing bolt or latch11 from the keeper, whereupon the door is swung open by its spring 6.When the handle 21 is released, the shaft and locking device areimmediately returned to their normal positions by spring 16.

In the drop door arrangement of Fig. 7, the door 9, is provided with akeeper 7 and the same shaft arrangement hereinbefore described, can beemployed for operating the lock to release the door. The latch or bolt,consists of a radial arm 23 rigid with shaft 12, and extendinghorizontally therefrom behind the box front with the depending beveledbolt end 24, to cooperate with the keeper inlocking the door. The lockconstruction, otherwise, is approximately the same as hereinbeforedescribed.

An indicator is preferably provided within the house to operate inconjunction or combination with the let ter box at the exterior of thehouse, for the purpose of indicating within the house whenever theletter box is operated for the insertion of mail. As an example of meanswhich can be provided for this purpose, I show an indicating devicearranged at the inner face of the wall or door to the exterior of whichthe letter box is secured; the indicator being arranged behind the box,the door or wall intervening. In the specific example shown, theindicator comprises a vertically disposed elongated gravity slide ordrop 25, inclosed and'slidable vertically within a suitably securedeasing consisting of wall plate 26, and box 27. The casing is usuallyformed at its outer face with a narrow aper ture or peep opening 28,exposing a portion of the indicator drop. The indicator drop is providedwith a suitable visual signal, such as suitable letters, for instance,the word Mail When the drop is in its normal elevated position, the wordMail is elevated above the opening 28, and is concealed behind thecasing wall, and hence the drop is then in non-indicating position. Whenreleased, the drop falls to its lower and indicating position with theword Mail displayed and exposed at said opening. The drop is usuallyreleased .to fall to indicating position, by means actuated by a movablepart of the letter box moved by the entrance of mail into the box, ormoved to permit the entrance of mail into the box. The drop ispreferably restored to its elevated non-indicating position by the lockreleasing device when operated to unlock the letter box door.

Suitable means can be provided to detachably hold the drop in elevatedposition. For instance, I show a stud or short pin 29 rigid with thewall plate and projecting outwardly into the upper portion of thecasing. The drop is provided with a plate spring member 30 arrangedlongitudinally thereof and between the same and the wall plate and atits lower end secured to the drop with its upper curved free end portionpressing against the wall plate and formed with a perforation 31, toreceive stud 29. When the drop is forced up to non-indicating position,the spring 30 rides on the stud until the stud enters perforation 31.The stud then holds the drop in elevated position.

Suitable means are provided to press the spring from the stud, andthereby permit the drop to fall by gravity (or otherwise) to indicatingposition. For instance, I show a push rod 32, extending loosely throughthe wall or door 1, and through the indicator face plate with its innerend in the upper part of the indicator casing and behind said springtherein. The outer end of the push rod is arranged above the letter boxand so that when lid 4, thereof is swung up and back to permit entranceof letters into the box, the push rod will be forced longitudinally bysaid lid, and against said spring 30, foreing the spring from the stud,whereupon the drop falls to indicating position, showing to those withinthe house that the box should contain mail matter. The spring 30 servesto force the push rod outwardly to nor mal position, as the drop islifted to its normal position.

If so desired, the outer end of push rod 32, instead of terminating inthe path of lid 4, to be directly engaged by said lid, can project intoan ordinary electric push button or other electric circuit closer,having its push button 33, arranged to be engaged by the lid 4. Theouter end of push rod 32 passes loosely through the base 34, of the pushbutton, and the extremity of said rod abuts against the inner end of thepush button, whereby when the push button is depressed by lid 4, or bythe finger, the push rod will also be forced in to release the drop. Thepush button operates any suitable electric contacts 35, 36, which arenormally held separated, to close an electric circuit 37 including asuitable source of electrical energy and an audible signal 38, arrangedat a suitable location withinthe house. Where this push buttonarrangement is employed, a signal will be sounded within the house andthe indicator will be actuated to indicating position, whenever the lid4, is opened to permit entrance of mail to the box. The indicatoroperating device can be employed, however, with the push button andelectric circuit.

If so preferred, the electrical energy can be utilized to release thedrop and permit the same to fall to indieating position. For instance,in Fig. 8, I show the upper end of the indicator drop 25, provided atits upper end with a shoulder 39, adapted to be engaged by swingingcatch or elbow lever 40, to hold the drop in elevated non-indicatingposition. One arm 'of the catch 40, forms the armature 41, of magnet 42included in the normally open circuit 37 in which the push button 33, isalso included. The catch 40 is normally held in locking position withrespect to the drop 25, by spring 43. When the lid 4 is opened, the pushbutton 33, closes the circuit 37, and thereby energizes the magnet 42,swinging catch 40, to release the indicator drop.

Suitable means are provided to restore the indicator drop to normalnon-indicating position. For instance, I show the actuating shaft 20,for releasing the letter box door lock, passing through the lower endportion of the indicator casing with the knob or handle 21, in rear ofsaid casing. Within the casing, shaft 20, is provided with a radial orlateral lift arm or toe 44, normally ar ranged about horizontallybeneath the lower end or shoulder 45, of the drop 25. The arm 44 can berigid with a sleeve on the shaft 20, adjustably clamped thereon by setscrew 46. When released, the drop 25, falls to indicating position andrests on the arm 44, or closely adjacent thereto. When the handle 21, isturned to withdraw the latch or bolt and release the mail box door, theshaft 20, is rocked and the arm 44, is swung upwardly thereby forcingthe drop upwardly, by engagement with end or shoulder 45, until the stud29 enters perforation 31, and locks the drop in elevated position. Theshaft 20, and arm 44 are thereupon re turned to normal positions by thelock spring. I preferably removably attach the lift arm 44, to the shaft20, so that said arm can be applied to or removed from the shaft, asdesired, in view of the fact that the letter box can be set up and usedwith or without the indicator.

The box and indicator can be used in combination and so placed onvthemarket, but the box can be located and used without the indicator asthere are no direct connections between the two, and the indicator canafterwards be placed in proper position to act in combination with thebox, or where both have been set up, the indicator can at anytime beremoved.

The box is produced with the rearwardly extending shaft section havingthe handle, but as said section is removable and the hollow section isindependently mounted within the box; said box can be applied to thehouse without therearwardly extending section and the special key canalone be used to operate the hollow shaft section to release the door,as hereinbefore set forth. The construction of box is adapted to suitvarious conditions and requirements in the line of house letter boxes. p

The employment of such letter boxes, as herein set forth, is veryadvantageous both to the householder and the postal service in thematter of preservation of mail matter from damage and loss. It is alsoevident that various changes, modifications, omission of elements andaddition of features, might be resorted to within the scope of theclaims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention,hence I do hot wish to limit all features of my invention to the exactconstructions illustrated.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, in a house letter box having a mail egress opening, adoor to. close said opening, and a lock mechanism for said doorcomprising a longitudinally adjustable operating shaft provided with thedoor locking bolt and adapted to extend from a point within the box to apoint accessible within a house at the exterior of which the box isarranged.

2. A house letter box having a mail egress opening, a door for closingsaid opening, a lock for said door and arranged within the box,actuating mechanism for operating said lock to release said door, saidmechanism adapted to extend rearwardly from a point within the box to apoint accessible within the house to which said box is secured, saidmechanism formed to receive and be operated by a key said box formedwith a key hole to said mechanism.

3. A house letter box having an opening and a door to close the same, arock shaft arranged within the box and having a lateral arm forming alock bolt for said door, a spring yieldingly holding the shaft and armin normal locking position, and means whereby the shaft can be rockedfrom the exterior of the box to swing the arm to release the door.

4. A house letter box having a mail egress opening, and a door to closethe same, a lock within said box for said door, and lock releasing meanscomprising a rock shaft arranged within the box and extending rearwardlyfrom the box and adapted to extend to an accessible point within thehouse, said shaft comprising a sleeve or hollow shaft section mountedwithin the box and a rear extension shaft section fitted andlongitudinally adjustable within said hollow section and at its rear endprovided with a handle.

5. A house letter box having a letter egress opening and a door to closethe same, said door tending to assume open position, a spring actuatedbolt to lock said door in closed position, a bolt-with-drawing rockshaft mounted within the box and having a longitudinally adjustablerearward extension from the box and adapted to extend to an accessiblepoint within a house.

6. A house letter box having a door at the front thereof, a springactuated bolt for locking said door arranged behind the front wall ofthe box, a bolt-with-drawing rock shaft within the box and extendingforwardly along a side wall thereof and at its front end carrying saidbolt, said shaft adapted to extend rearwardly to an accessible pointwithin. a house.

7. A house letter box having a front door, a lock casing secured withinthe box, a spring actuated rock shaft extending through the box and atits front end mounted in said casing and within the same provided withand carryinga locking bolt for said door.

8. A house letter box having a door, a bolt for locking said door, aspring pressed bolt actuating rock shaft comprising a hollow sectionwithin the box and at its inner end carrying said bolt, a rearwardextension fitting and longitudinally adjustable with the hollow sectionand extending rearwardly through and beyond the rear wall of the box andat its rear end provided with a handle, and means for adjustably lockingsaid sections together.

9. A house letter box, having a door, a bolt for locking said door, asectional bolt actuating rock shaft mounted within the box and having a,rearward extension beyond the box with an actuating handle, the innerend of said shaft formed to receive a key to rock the shaft, said boxhaving a key hole opening to the exterior thereof and opposite saidshaft end.

10. A letter box having an opening through an outer wall thereof and aslot in said wall adjacent to said open ing, a door to close saidopening and having a keeper adapted to project into the box through saidslot, a locking bolt for said door arranged within the box and behindsaid wall and adjacent to said slot to project across the slot intolocking engagement with said keeper, and bolt actuating connectionswithin the box and projecting therefrom to the exterior thereof andadapted to extend to a point within a house at the exterior of which thebox is arranged.

11. A house letter box having lock operating means, in combination withan indicator having operating means actuated by a part of said box, andmeans actuated by said lock operating means for setting said indicator.

12. A house letter box having a letter ingress opening, and a letteregress opening, and provided with a movable part, a door to close theegress opening, a lock for said door, lock-operating means adapted toextend to an accessi ble point within a house and there provided with ahandle, in combination with an indicator adapted to be located within ahouse, and provided with operatingmeans adapted to extend into operativerelation to said movable part and to be actuated thereby to operate theindicator to indicate the presence of mail within the box, and meansoperated by said lock operating mechanism to set or restore theindicator when said mechanism is operated to open said door.

13. An indicator comprising a slide or 'drop, a catch to normally holdthe same in nonindicating position, in combination, with a house letterbox having a movable part arranged to operate said catch to release saidslide, a door for said box, a lock for said door, and lock-releasing oroperating mechanism having means to raise or set said slide when saidmechanism. is operated to unlock said door.

14. A house letter box having an exterior movable lid for the letteringress opening, and a door for the letter egress opening, a lock forsaid door, lock-operating means comprising a rock shaft having a laterallift arm at the exterior of the box, in combination with an indicatorcomprising an indicating drop slide, a catch to normally hold said slideelevated, catch releasing means in the path of opening movement of saidlid, whereby the engagement of the lid therewith will release the catchfrom the slide, said arm adapted to lift the slide into holdingengagement with the catch when said shaft is rocked to release saiddoor.

15. A house mail box indicator comprising avertical casing, a verticallymovable indicator slide having a shoulder whereby the slide can be heldin non-indicating position and a shoulder whereby the slide can berestored to set or non-indicating position, a spring catch to hold saidslide in set position, and a catch releasing push rod adapted to beextended into the path of a movable part of a house letter box.

16. In combination, a mail box having an opening, a movable door toclose said opening, and a door locking mechanism within the boxcomprising a spring held bolt and an operating connection for actuatingsaid bolt to re lease the door, said connection extending from a pointwithin the box to a point exterior of the box and adapted to extend intoa house at the exterior of which the box is arranged, said connectioncomprising sections normally held to operate together and adjustablelongitudinally of each other, whereby said operating connection iscapable of longitudinal contraction or extension.

17 In combination, a house mail box having an opening, a movable door toclose said opening, door locking mechanism comprising a movable boltwithin the box, a bolt withdrawing connection comprising an innersection arranged and held within the box and extending through a wallthereof, an outer section adapted to extend from a point within thehouse at the exterior of which said box is arranged, into operative andlongitudinally adjustable engagement with said inner section, and meanswhereby said sections operate together in withdrawing said bolt from thedoor.

18. In combination, a house mail box having an opening,

a door to close said opening, and means for locking said door in closedposition comprising a spring pressed sleeve arranged within the box andat its inner end provided with a door locking bolt, the outer end of thesleeve projecting through and mounted in a rear wall of the box andadapted to receive means for oscillating the same to release the door.

19. In combination, a house mail box having an opening, a door to closesaid opening, a plate adjacent said opening, a shaft at its inner endmounted in said plate and at its outer end projecting through andmountedin a wall of the box, said shaft at its inner end provided with abolt to lock said door, and a spring yieldingly holding said bolt inlocking position, the outer end of said shaft adapted to receive meansfor oscillating the shaft to release the bolt from the door.

20. In combination, a letter box having an opening and a door to closethe same, a bolt arranged within the box adjacent to said opening tolock the door, a spring pressed shaft connected to withdraw said bolt torelease the door, said shaft arrangedwithin the box and at its outer endprojecting through and journaled in a wall of the box, a

plate secured in the box adjacent to said opening, the inner end of saidshaft journaled in said plate, and shaft operating means at the exteriorof the box and adapted to operatively engage the outer end of saidshaft.

21. In combination, a house letter box having an opening and a door toclose the same, a spring pressed bolt within the box to lock said doorclosed, a bolt withdrawing hollow shaft arranged within the box and atits inner end mounted therein and at its outer open end passing throughand journaled in the rear wall of the box, shaft operating means at theexterior of the box and longitudinally entering the outer open end ofthe shaft, and a set screw carried by the shaft for locking said meansthereto.

22. In combination, a letter box having an opening in the front Wallthereof and a slot in said wall adjacent to said opening, a swingingdoor to close said opening and provided with a keeper to project intothe box through said slot, a spring pressed beveled bolt Within the boxand behind said front wall and normally projected across said slot toenter said keeper and lock said door, and a bolt withdrawing connectionwithin said box and projected rearwardly through the rear wall thereof.

23. In combination, a letter'box having an opening and a door'to closethe same, a spring pressed rock shaft within said box having a laterallocking bolt projecting therefrom to lock the door closed, said shafthaving means at the exterior of the box for rocking the shaft towithdraw the bolt from locking position, said means adap ed to extend toa point within a house at the exterior of which the box is arranged.

24. In combination, a letter box having an opening and a door to closethe same, a casing secured Within the box adjacent to the opening, arock shaft arranged within the box and at its inner end mounted in saidcasing and at its outer end mounted in and extending through the rearwall of the box and having exterior operating means, a locking boltsecured to and projecting laterally from the inner end of the shaft, anda spring acting on the bolt and shaft.

25. In combination, a letter box having an opening, a door to close theopening and provided with an inwardly projecting keeper, a rock shaftwithin and extending across the box and having an exterior operatinghandle and provided with a laterally projecting bolt to engage saidkeeper and lock said door, and a spring acting on the shaft and bolt toyieldingly hold the same in locking position.

26. In combination, a letter box having an opening, a door to close thesame provided with an inwardly projecting keeper, a rock shaft arrangedwithin and extending across the box and provided with an exterioroperating handle, a locking bolt projecting laterally from said shaftand having a beveled portion to engage said keeper, and a spring coiledon said shaft to yieldingly hold said bolt across the path traversed bysaid keeper.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

VIRGIL C. KOONS.

Witnesses J OHN MOFFATT, J. C. Sprcnn.

